“Operation Kitten”

17102012

Jamie found this kitten with an injured foot on the road on the way to Ted’s farm at the weekend. Guelph Humane Society was closed, so Carole ended up taking it (later revealed as “her”) in … for now at least, but who knows…?

We took her to the vet on Sunday, where she was diagnosed as being dehydrated, having a belly full of worms and ears full of mites, possibly having an eye infection, with a stinky, deep abscess in her tail, and in probable need of a tail and toe amputation when she’s big enough for a general. She could easily turn into the $1000 kitten (if she doesn’t have FIV; if she does, what to do?); she has covered Carole’s apartment in poo and vomit (that this is kitten poo and kitten vomit does not make this cute apparently); and yet she is totally adorable and we’re all very glad she was lucky enough to run into Jamie (and not the other way around).

In a great talk by Shane Bateman (OVC and President of the Board at Guelph Humane Society) earlier that very same day, all three of us learnt that people treat cats very casually, in a way they tend not to for dogs (kicking them out when they move house, that kind of thing), and that there are 20 000 stray cats in Guelph. This little parasite-laden mite was starving, skinny, had probably been hit by a car (likely source of the foot injury), and yet is unbelievably friendly – obviously well-socialised. So, what on earth is her story?